Divisions appear among EU leaders over Olympic games

President Nicolas Sarkozy announced Wednesday that he would attend the Beijing Olympics this autumn, despite worldwide protests against China’s human rights record, especially in Tibet, says the IHT.

The news was followed shortly after by parliament president Hans-Gert Pöttering’s statement that he would not be attending the games, says the Guardian.

The paper goes on to say that Sarkozy’s announcement released a “storm of criticism” in the European parliament, with Pöttering blaming a “lack of progress” in talks between China and Tibet for his decision not to travel to Beijing.

Deutsche Welle says Sarkozy had previously hinted he would boycott the games over the Tibet issue, and that his turnaround follows warnings on Tuesday from the Chinese ambassador to France that relations between their two countries would sour if the French leader went ahead and met with Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who is due to travel to Paris next month.

Le Figaro quotes the French press release announcing Sarkozy’s intentions,  saying that he will attend the games in his double capacity as president of the French republic and chair of the six-month presidency of the EU.

The paper goes on to say that neither British prime minister Gordon Brown nor German chancellor Angela Merkel will attend the games, although US president George W Bush has said he will.

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